Deuteronomy 23

Exclusion and Inclusion

1“No man whose testicles have been crushed # Lit man bruised by crushing or whose penis has been cut off may enter the Lord’s assembly. 2No one of illegitimate birth may enter the Lord’s assembly; none of his descendants, even to the tenth generation, may enter the Lord’s assembly. 3No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the Lord’s assembly; # Neh 13:1-2 none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, may ever enter the Lord’s assembly. 4This is because they did not meet you with food and water on the journey after you came out of Egypt, and because Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim was hired to curse you. # Nm 22:5-6 5Yet the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam, but He turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves # Dt 4:37 you. # Nm 23:11; 24:10 6Never seek their peace or prosperity as long as you live. 7Do not despise an Edomite, because he is your brother. Do not despise an Egyptian, because you were a foreign resident in his land. 8The children born to them in the third generation may enter the Lord’s assembly.

Cleanliness of the Camp

9“When you are encamped against your enemies, be careful to avoid anything offensive. 10If there is a man among you who is unclean because of a bodily emission during the night, he must go outside the camp; he may not come anywhere inside the camp. 11When evening approaches, he must wash with water, and when the sun sets he may come inside the camp. # Lv 15:16-17 12You must have a place outside the camp and go there to relieve yourself. 13You must have a digging tool in your equipment; when you relieve yourself, dig a hole with it and cover up your excrement. 14For the Lord your God walks throughout your camp to protect you and deliver your enemies to you; so your encampments must be holy. He must not see anything improper among you or He will turn away from you.

Fugitive Slaves

15“Do not return a slave to his master when he has escaped from his master to you. 16Let him live among you wherever he wants within your gates. Do not mistreat him.

Cult Prostitution Forbidden

17“No Israelite woman is to be a cult prostitute, and no Israelite man is to be a cult prostitute. 18Do not bring a female prostitute’s wages or a male prostitute’s # Lit a dog’s earnings into the house of the Lord your God to fulfill any vow, because both are detestable to the Lord your God.

Interest on Loans

19“Do not charge your brother interest on money, food, or anything that can earn interest. 20You may charge a foreigner interest, but you must not charge your brother interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in everything you do # Lit you put your hand to in the land you are entering to possess. # Ex 22:25

Keeping Vows

21“If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will require it of you, and it will be counted against you as sin. 22But if you refrain from making a vow, it will not be counted against you as sin. 23Be careful to do whatever comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed what you promised # Lit promised with your mouth to the Lord your God. # Nm 30:2-15; Jb 22:27; Ps 50:14; 56:12; 61:8; Pr 20:25; Ec 5:4-7; Mal 1:14

Neighbor’s Crops

24“When you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat as many grapes as you want until you are full, but you must not put any in your container. 25When you enter your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck heads of grain with your hand, but you must not put a sickle to your neighbor’s grain.

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Deuteronomy 23: HCSB

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